


Werewolf of Rose Creek

by BeautifulMessOfMe



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: AU, F/M, Halloween, Haunting, Holidays, M/M, Monsters, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-22 06:29:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8276060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulMessOfMe/pseuds/BeautifulMessOfMe
Summary: There's some strange happenings going on at Rose Creek this Halloween. Thankfully the Seven are there to get to the bottom of it.





	1. Halloween In Rose Creek

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween Season Everyone! Enjoy a Magnificent 7 Halloween story :D Let me know how you like it in the comments!

The old tattered floors creaked under the boys boots as they stepped inside the house.

"Whoa..." Bobby Larson gaped, looking to his friend. "This is even creepier than I thought it'd be."

"Okay we walked inside." Dylan Crane muttered, fear clear in his voice. "Come on, Bobby, let's go now."

"Quit bein' such a sissy, Crane." Bobby scoffed, continuing to explore the house.

Dylan swallowed hard and followed his friend reluctantly.

"I wonder if old man Davis is still in here." Bobby whispered, bringing his lantern closer as he approached an old door, it's wood cracked and worn.

"I'd rather not find out." Dylan whimpered. "Please, Bobby. Let's get out of here." 

"No way." Bobby replied. "You wanna skip out on a dare from Jay Collins? You know what happens if you do don't ya?"

Dylan nodded slowly and looked back toward the front door, wanting nothing more than to leave.

They couldn't though. Jay Collins would see to it that they were branded sissys as soon as word got around to him that they skipped out on his dare.

Being the mayor's son, he had connections to the whole town.

Not even Dylan, who had a weaker constitution, wanted that to go down.

"I'm goin' in." Bobby reached for the doorknob. "If he gets me, you poke him in the gut with this." He handed Dylan a large stick.

"What if he gets me too?" Dylan shivered. 

"Well then at least we went out like men." Bobby replied, pulling the door open.

"Bobby don't..." Dylan warned him.

Bobby didn't listen. He walked right in.

Dylan watched helplessly as his friend left his sight, shivering in his boots.

"What...Who...What are...!?" Bobby's voice suddenly rang out before he came running back through the doorway screaming.

"Bobby! What...?" Dylan started to ask before he looked back up and came face to face with a ghastly mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

His lantern shattered as he hit the floor and he ran out of the house after Bobby, screaming the whole way back to town.

.........

"I don't know, Johnny." Joshua Faraday shrugged, watching little Midnight Robicheaux climb all over the large pumpkins. "Maybe I should just head on over to Randall Cumberland's place."

"Now what kind of talk is that, Faraday?" Johnny Combs asked, a bit offended at the comment. "My pumpkins are every bit as good as his."

"Yeah but...We always buy our pumpkins from Randall..Id hate to make him think we ran out on him." Faraday shrugged.

"Screw Randall." Mr. Combs growled. "I'll tell ya what. I'll give ya a special price. Five cents each. How's that sound?" 

Faraday rubbed at his chin, pretending to be deep in though. "I don't know. I don't think I should..." He said.

"Four cents! Four cents a piece! Can't get no better than that!" Mr. Combs tried desperately.

Midnight giggled as she slid down the side of a very large pumpkin.

"Well....." Faraday sighed. "My associate here sure seems to like 'em..." 

"Uncle Josh! Look!" Midnight laughed, sliding down the big pumpkin again.

Faraday grinned. "I suppose we've got a deal, Johnny boy." He said to Mr. Combs, extending a hand and shaking the old man's.

"Glad to here it." Mr. Combs nodded with a smile. "How many ya lookin' to buy?"

Faraday turned to Midnight.

"Hey little bit! You got the list?" He called to her.

Midnight jumped down from the pumpkin and rushed over to him, pulling a piece of paper from her dress pocket and handing it up to Faraday.

"Looks like twelve." Faraday told Mr. Combs, handing the list back to Midnight.

"So forty eight cents then." Mr. Combs told him, holding out a hand for payment. "Ya won't find a better deal anywhere else."

"No sir, I'm sure I won't." Faraday agreed, handing over the money before kneeling down next to Midnight. "Go pick ya out some big ones, little bit." He told her.

"Yay!" Midnight squealed with delight, hurrying off to the pumpkins again.

"Thanks a lot, Johnny." Faraday nodded to Mr. Combs, shaking his hand once more.

"My pleasure, Faraday." Mr. Combs replied. "Ya'll have a pleasant evenin'." He told them before walking back towards his old farm house.

Midnight, meanwhile, was trying her hardest to lift a large pumpkin.

"Uncle Josh! Uncle Josh! This one!" She called to him.

He lifted the pumpkin up for her and sat it in the wagon.

They picked up their twelve over the next half hour.

Midnight turned out to be a picky pumpkin buyer. Only the biggest and roundest ones were good enough to be added to her stash. If they had even one flaw they weren't good enough.

"I'd say we did pretty good." Faraday said as he lifted Midnight up into the wagon with him.

"You got 'em real cheap." Midnight giggled.

"That's right." Faraday grinned, snapping the reins to the two big draft horses. "You always remember, Little Bit, no price is set in stone. There's always a chance they'll drop it lower."

"I bet if you showed them a magic trick they'd give you the pumpkins for free." Midnight mused, playing with her rag doll while she sat in the back of the wagon amongst all the pumpkins.

Faraday just laughed. "'Bargaining's a magic all its own, honey." He told her. "What's next on the list?"

Midnight dug her list from her dress pocket again.

"A...App...App..." She tried to read the words on the paper.

"Thata girl, sound it out." Faraday encouraged her.

"Appl...Apples!" Midnight finally managed.

"Good job." Faraday smiled. "What do you say we have some lunch before we go get those apples, huh?" He asked her.

"Yep. I'm hungry." Midnight agreed, rubbing her little belly.

Faraday stopped the wagon outside of the Inn in town, helping Midnight down as well.

As they were heading in, Ben Larson, an old trapper, passed them by, fiddling with a large metal bear trap.

"Whoa, Benny." Faraday stopped him. "That's quite a mouth on that thing. What're ya after? A moose?"

Ben scowled at Faraday. They never really had gotten along.

"Damn wolf scarred my boy half to death last night up by the old Davis place." He told Faraday.

"Wolves?" Faraday asked. "In Rose Creek?"

"Seems that way." Mr. Larson confirmed. "Can't have it after my stock. Gonna trap it and tan its hyde." 

Midnight reached out to touch the shiny metal of the trap but Faraday pulled her hand back.

"You see this wolf?" He asked Mr. Larson.

"No but my boy did." He growled, spitting a wad of tobacco juice out into the dust. "And he ain't no liar, Mr. Faraday." 

"Well.....Best of luck to ya." Faraday replied. "Hope ya catch it quick." 

"Plan on it." Mr. Larson replied, grouchily before walking off towards his horse.

Midnight looked up at Faraday.

"I don't like him." She said.

"I don't much either." Faraday agreed. "A man with no sense of humor is not a man I'd befriend."

"Let's go Uncle Josh." Midnight pleaded, pulling at Faraday's sleeve. "I'm hungry."

"Okay, okay..." Faraday smiled at her, following the little girl into the Inn.

........

"Did you really need all these apples, Em?" Faraday asked Emma Cullen while the red haired woman stood at her stove, boiling water to make apple butter.

"You wanna feed the town or would you rather I do it?" She replied.

Faraday picked up a nice juicy red apple and took a thick bite out of it just to be annoying.

Emma rolled her eyes and turned her attention over to Midnight and Red Harvest who were working on gutting the pumpkins.

"You two about done with those?" She asked them.

Red Harvest nodded, giving a smile to Midnight who was having quite a time playing with the sticky pumpkin guts.

The front door drew everyone's attention when Sam and the others came in.

"Evenin' everybody." Sam greeted them, removing his hat and hanging it up on the coat rack.

"Wanna take your gun off too or ya fixin' to fight me for this pumpkin cake Emma's makin?" Faraday grinned.

"Well I just make take that challenge." Sam said, hanging up his gun as well. "If only I wasn't gettin' to old for gun fights."

"Daddy! Papa!" Midnight, sticky and messy with pumpkin innards, wrapped herself around both of her parent's legs. 

"I smell cake." Jack Horne said as he entered the ranch house, Vasquez behind him.

"I hope it's for us." The Mexican mused, grinning and rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Well put that hope out." Emma told him. "Everything here's for the church social tomorrow night."

Red Harvest stuck a handful of pumpkin innards into his mouth, and Midnight giggled.

"Yuck!" She laughed.

"Jesus, Red, I know we ain't exactly from the same culture but at least wait till that stuff's cooked." Faraday chuckled.

"Like you haven't disgusted us all before, Guero." Vasquez said, approaching Faraday and pressing a kiss to his mouth.

"Boys, take that outside." Emma told them. "There's women and children present here."

"Awww, I think Emma wants a kiss too." Faraday said, puckering his lips at her.

"You want a a ladle to the face, Faraday?" She threatened him, holding up her large metal utensil.

"Alright, alright, I was just kiddin around." Faraday assured her, holding his hands up in surrender.

"I do wonder why it is I allow you to watch my daughter." Goodnight sighed at him, lifting Midnight up into his arms and pecking her little cheek.

Midnight giggled and wrapped her arms around him shoulders while Billy came up behind Goody and nuzzled his little girl's precious face.

"Uncle Josh and me got pumpkins and apples and corn and lots of other stuff for Halloween." Midnight told her parents.

"Sounds like you had fun." Billy smiled at her.

"Yep." Midnight yawned, laying her head against Goody's shoulder tiredly.

"Time for a nap, Little one." Goodnight told her.

"Speaking of napping, where's Teddy run off to?" Faraday asked Emma.

"He's been very helpful today for your information." Emma said. "He just went to town actually. I needed some more sugar for the jam I'm making."

Teddy arrived not seconds later, looking terribly worried as he entered the house.

"What's eatin' you?" Faraday asked.

"Sam." Teddy said to the outfit head. "There's a big meetin' up in town tonight. Preacher wants ya there. Somethin' about missin' livestock. Sounded real important." 

Sam sighed and stood from his chair. 

"Alright....Boys, let's get to it." He said to them all.

"What? We ain't had supper yet." Faraday complained.

"We'll get ya somethin' on the way." Sam promised. "Now come on."

Faraday groaned and snuck another Apple from Emma's pile before following Sam out the door.

Just what he wanted to do the night before a holiday. Work.

TBC


	2. Crying Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The townsfolk are in a panic. Sam and the rest of the seven have a solution

"Why do we always gotta come runnin' every time somethin' happens?" Faraday complained.

"We all knew what this was when it started." Sam reminded him. "We got a duty to these people. Protectin' their land and their stock is part of it."

He dismounted infront of the newly rebuilt church and tied his black stallion to the hitching post outside.

Faraday and the others followed, preparing to enter the church that was filled with dozens of angry townsfolk.

"Damn varmint got two of my sheep last night!" Mr. Turner growled.

"My milk cow's gone missin!" Mr. Campbell added.

"What the hell's goin' on around here!?" Someone else fired. "Where's all our stock gone to!?"

The doors swung gently open and Sam stepped in with the rest of the seven behind him.

The townsfolk grew silent at the sight of their honored heroes.

"Mr. Chisolm...." Preacher greeted Sam. "How good of you men to come."

Sam nodded and stepped up to the podium, the others right behind him as they took their preferred spot on the front pew.

Preacher gladly stepped aside and let Sam speak. Anything he had to say to calm the crowd would be better than nothing.

Sam cleared his throat. 

"Folks...." He greeted them. "I understand there's been some concern about livestock."

"Damn right there has been!" Mr. Turner spoke up. "Somethin's been goin' around killin' em all off!"

The townsfolk once again made like a mob and began shouting and rambling on.

"Folks...Folks!" Sam hushed them.

They grew silent once more.

"Thank you." Sam nodded. "Now, would somebody like to fill us in on what's goin' on here?"

Mr. Turner stood up.

"Some mangy varmint's been goin' around killin' livestock." He explained. 

"You know exactly what this thing is?" Sam questioned.

"Wolf!" A voice boomed from the doors in the back.

Everyone turned to see Ben Larson, the old trapper, and his boy, Bobby, walking down the isle towards Sam.

"Wolf is what this damn creature is." He repeated himself. "A no good, snarlin', rabies spreadin', livestock killin' wolf."

"You seen this wolf, Mr. Larson?" Sam asked. 

"I seen enough to know what I'm lookin' for, Mr. Chisolm." Larson growled. "It took off with my wife's chickens just this mornin'! Found its tracks by the coop!"

"Now that's a broad claim, Ben." Sam told him. "Wolves ain't been in these parts for quite a long while."

"Bobby'll tell ya." Larson growled. "He seen it! Didn't ya son?" 

Bobby Larson nodded, swallowing hard in fear, the memory still fresh in his mind.

"I seen it, Mr. Chisolm. I seen it with my own two eyes. Me and Dylan. It's a wolf. I swear." The boy told Sam.

The poor boy was being truthful. That much was certain. Sam could see the fear in his eyes plain as day. It wouldn't be there if he'd been lying.

Sam turned to the others.

"Red?" He asked his Comanche friend. "You know wolves?"

Red's tribe had dealt with wildlife more than anyone else in these particular parts had. Maybe he'd have an idea on how to solve this issue.

"I track." Red Harvest nodded. "We find wolf if it's here."

Sam nodded.

"I track too." Jack added, wanting to be sure Sam didn't forget about him.

"I know Jack." Sam assured him. "But you track people. Red here knows animals better than anyone else here. If we're gonna find this wolf he's gonna the man to lead the way."

Jack nodded. "Yeah...okay..alright." He agreed reluctantly.

"Mr. Chisolm with all due respect, I've already taken it upon myself to trap this varmint." Larson spoke up.

"Well then I've got good news for ya, Ben." Sam said. "We're takin' it off your hands. Go home and enjoy your Halloween. We've got this under control." 

"I'll be damned if I do." Larson growled.

Preacher stepped up. 

"Brother Ben, please. Our friends are only trying to help." He pleaded to Larson.

"What they're doin' is actin' like a bunch of damned hot heads!" Larson snapped.

Gasps from several women filled the room.

How dare someone speak so illy of the men who saved their lives and their town?

"I know how it is!" Larson continued. "They come in here and take Bogue out now they think they're the high and mighty saviors of Rose Creek! Well I say who the hell asked 'em!?"

Faraday growled and reached for his gun.

Goodnight grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Not in church, son." He whispered. 

Sam frowned at Larson.

"Well I believe you've said your piece, Ben." He said, calmly as ever. "Now why don't you go on home before you do somethin' you'll regret."

Larson glared at Sam. Sam started back, face calm with red hot anger boiling beneath his emotionless expression.

"Let's go, Bobby..." Larson growled to his son, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out the door of the church.

Preacher sighed and looked to Sam.

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Chisolm. Ben Larson dances to a bit of a different tune than the rest of us do."

"That's alright." Sam assured him, then turning back to the townsfolk who were still sitting, waiting for his words. How he would respond to Larson.

"Now you know it's been my sole purpose to protect this town ever since Bogue." He assured the people. His neighbors and friends. "And ya'll have my word that this wolf problem will be over and done with by the time the church social rolls around tomorrow night."

Nodding heads of agreement and a few 'bless you's were the answer he got. 

Sam gave the people of Rose Creek a smile. "Ya'll have a nice evenin'." He told them, walking down from the alter and the podium. "We'll see ya'll tomorrow night."

Preacher nodded to him. 

"God bless ye', Mr. Chisolm, sir." He told him.

"No trouble, Preacher." He answered, motioning for the boys to follow him out.

A few thank you's followed them as they went and for that Sam was grateful. At least their opinions of them hadn't been swayed by Larson's distasteful comments.

"I woulda liked to have killed that damned Ben Larson." Faraday growled.

"One swipe to the throat." Billy sighed, hand on his knife belt. "And I he would've been kept quiet forever."

"He's just a man with an opinion." Sam told them, swinging into his horse. "There's a lot like him. None of them ever amount to much anyway. Let it go."

"He's right you know." Vasquez told Faraday. "You can't let people get to you so easily, Guero."

"Says the guy that killed a ranger for poking fun at him...." Faraday muttered.

"Alright, cool down." Sam told them. "We've only got a day to track down this wolf. There's plannin' to be done and little time to do it so let's focus."

"We need traps." Goodnight spoke up. "Lots of them too."

"No." Red Harvest argued. "Traps no good. They only wound. Not kill. We want to kill quickly."

Sam nodded to Red.

"If that's what you want, you'd better track this thing down quick." Sam told him. "Somethin' tells me Ben Larson's gonna try to beat us to it anyway."

"First we eat." Red replied, turning his horse towards the Inn. "Then we hunt. I'm hungry."

"Want some more pumpkin guts?" Faraday teased him.

"Leave it, Guero." Vasquez smacked his arm as they rode towards the Inn.

.......

The sun was setting over the mountains.

Grass blew in the cool autumn breeze and crickets chirped a little nightly tune.

Emma was setting pies on the windowsill to cool.

"Aunt Emma...." Midnight yawned, walking down the hallway to the kitchen.

"I'll be right there, honey." She told her, before suddenly the sound of her chickens being flustered outside caught her attention.

She looked up and out the window to see the unthinkable.

"Oh my God...." She mouthed, dropping everything and hurrying to grab the shotgun they kept above the doorway.

"Aunt Emma?" Midnight asked her.

"Stay inside!" Emma told her, cocking the gun as she stepped out the back door.

She fired a shot off at the wolf but she had been panicked and missed.

The creature got away with one of her prized hens.

A wolf.

Wolves hadn't been in Rose Creek for years.

How could it be?

TBC


	3. The Hunt Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midnight gets into something she shouldn't. The boys meanwhile are on the hunt

It was too dark to start tracking that night so the boys all waited until the next morning.

Halloween.

"Pass the syrup, Red." Faraday yawned, reaching out across the table for the bottle.

Red Harvest handed it over, his face blank and serious as ever. He'd been up most of the night searching the back yard for tracks and trying to plan out exactly which way the wolf had gone. But incredibly he looked more rested than the lot of them did.

"You think maybe this thing ain't a wolf at all, Sam?" Faraday asked as he drenched his flap jacks in syrup.

"That's a question for Red." Sam told him. "He seen the tracks." 

"Wolf." Red Harvest nodded. "Big wolf."

"Can't understand what a wolf would be doing here." Vasquez spoke up. "They haven't been around for years."

"Maybe they're startin' to come back." Jack stepped in.

"Hopefully not." Sam sighed. "We'd have quite a big problem on our hands if they were."

Goodnight hadn't said much all morning. Infact he almost looked sick.

"You alright?" Billy asked him.

"Hm?...Oh...Yeah, yeah just fine." Goody replied.

"Eat something." Billy told him, seeming very worried.

"I'm not very hungry right now." Goodnight told him.

Midnight came from her room, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she held her teddy bear close.

"Good morning, sunshine." Faraday greeted her, lifting her up and setting her on his lap.

Midnight took his fork from his plate and fed herself a nice big bite of syrup covered flap jacks.

"Midnight, we need to get you ready for school." Goodnight said, standing up from the table.

"Okay, Daddy." Midnight yawned, letting Goodnight scoop her up out of Faraday's lap.

"He okay?" Faraday asked, after Goodnight had left. 

"He's hasn't been feeling well lately." Billy answered.

"I hope it ain't somethin' serious." Jack frowned.

"It's not." Billy assured both them and himself.

"I just hope it ain't contagious." Faraday added.

Vasquez punched him in the arm.

"Boys. Play nice." Emma sighed, setting a pot of coffee down on the table.

"You boys really think you can track down that wolf?" Teddy asked, buttering himself up a biscuit. 

"Well I don't know about you, Teddy, but I've got a lot of faith in our Native friend here." Faraday answered, giving Red Harvest a smack on the shoulder.

The Comanche boy nodded. "We find wolf." He confirmed. "By tonight."

Goodnight came back a few minutes later with Midnight, who was all dressed up and ready for school.

"Hello, beautiful." Billy smiled, lifting her up and kissing her cheek.

Goodnight put a hand on Billy's shoulder.

"I need you to take her to school..." He said. "I'm not feeling well..."

"Alright." Billy agreed, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze before Goodnight went back to their bedroom.

"Well I'm ready." Sam announced. 

"So am I." Vasquez nodded.

"Me too." Jack got up from the table and Red Harvest followed.

"Hold up!" Faraday whined. "I ain't done yet." 

"You are now." Sam said, pulling him up by the arm. "Let's go."

........

"Have a good day, my angel." Billy told Midnight as he led her to the little one room school house.

"I love you, Papa." She told him, hugging his legs.

Billy ran a hand through her sleek black hair before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I love you too, little one." He replied. "Now hurry and run along. Your friends are waiting."

Midnight giggled and juried off to play with her friends in the schoolyard.

"Midnight!" Her best friend, Maddie Taylor, hugged her tightly. 

Billy smiled and mounted his horse again, turning him and riding back towards the edge of town where the others awaited him.

"What are you gonna be for Halloween?" Maddie asked Midnight.

"Daddy says I'm gonna be a belle." Midnight replied. "A southern belle. They look like princesses."

"I'm gonna be a rag doll." Maddie replied.

"Hey!" A voice cut into their conversation.

The two six year olds turned to see Bobby Larson coming towards them.

"What do you want?" Maddie asked.

"I didn't come to talk to you, Taylor." Bobby growled, looking at Midnight the whole time. "You're that Robicheaux girl ain't ya?" He asked.

Midnight held tightly to Maddie, nodding slowly. Bobby was much bigger than her at ten and she was frightened by him.

"You're family thinks they're gonna catch that wolf." Bobby continued. "But they won't. Know why?"

Midnight shook her head.

"Cause it ain't no ordinary wolf." Bobby said. "This here's a genuine one of a kind half wolf half man. Know what that's called, little girl?" 

Midnight once again shook her head no. "What?" She asked timidly.

"A werewolf." Bobby grinned maliciously. 

"Shut up, Bobby!" Maddie snapped at him. "You're a liar!"

"Am not." Bobby argued.

"Bobby!" One of the older girls, Lila Anderson, scolded him. "What kind of blasphemy are you fillin' these poor little girls heads with?"

"Think about it!" Bobby demanded. "Wolves ain't been around these parts for years and then suddenly one just shows up out of nowhere!?"

"What are you goin' on about, Bobby?" Richard Cale, another older boy, and his best friend Lewis Trident came over to join in the conversation.

"I'm just sayin'." Bobby continued. "Look at the facts. There ain't been a wolf round these parts for years now suddenly there is one. Two, wolves are sposed' to be in packs. This ones all by itself. And three, wolves don't get near as big as this thing is." 

"How in the world do you know how big the thing is?" Richard asked.

Midnight continued to cling to Maddie fearfully as they all listened to Bobby carrying on.

"I seen it!" Bobby told them all. "With my own two eyes!"

"Bull...." Lewis scoffed.

"Bobby you're a bigger liar than your Pa." Lila said, shaking her head.

"I ain't no liar! And my Pa ain't neither!" Bobby growled. "If ya'll don't believe me then you an see it for yourself! We'll all go up to the Old Davis place tonight! I'll show you! I'll show all of you!"

........

"What do ya think, Red?" Sam asked as Red Harvest carefully studied the tracks on the ground by the Turner's barn.

"Canine." Red Harvest nodded. "Going East. Just like all the other tracks." 

"You think it's hold up in a den somewhere nearby?" Faraday asked.

"Maybe." Red Harvest replied, swinging up on his horse again. "We follow."

Sam nodded and mounted up again.

"Let's just find it quick so I can stick it's hyde in that son of bitch Larson's face." Faraday grumbled.

TBC


	4. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for how late this chapter is! I had like no time to write for the last few weeks but now I'm back to updating :)

"Are you feeling better?" Emma asked when she heard Goodnight coming down the hallway towards her.

"For now." Goody answered, coming to stand next to her at the counter. 

"When are you telling Billy?" Emma asked him with a smile. 

"Tonight at the party." Goodnight said. 

"Always the theatric aren't ya?" Emma chuckled.

"You know me." Goody smiled back.

"Well, since the boys are gone and Midnight's at school, I suppose you're the only one left to be my taste tester." Emma told him.

Goody's smile widened. "Well now, I must be lucky." He said. "Anything with cinnamon in it? I've had a powerful craving for cinnamon lately." 

"Pumpkin spice cake." Emma said, beginning to cut a piece for Goodnight.

"You are an angel, Miss Emma." Goody smiled at her. 

"Well I try." Emma replied, setting the cake down in front of him.

"Where are the boys?" Goodnight asked. 

"Hunting." Emma answered, going back to stirring the large metal pot boiling on the stove. "They wanted to take you with them but Billy and I told them to let you rest."

"Hm....I do hope they managed to track that wolf down in time." Goody sighed. "Else the townsfolk might not be as hospitable as they once were."

"Sam and his promises..." Emma shook her head. 

"Well, that's Sam for ya. Always the exhibitionist. Gotta show everyone who's boss. Especially when he's been challenged like he was with Mr. Larson." Goodnight continued, before taking a bite of Emma's pumpkin spice cake.

"How is it?" Emma asked.

"Miss Emma, it's like heaven on a plate." Goodnight replied.

"Always the charmer." Emma chuckled.

"It's what I do." Goodnight nodded, continuing to eat his cake.

.........

Red Harvest took the lead, riding up into the mountains with the others behind him.

"Sure ya know what you're doin' here, Red?" Faraday asked as the Comanche boy led them deeper into the woods.

Red Harvest replied in his native tongue.

"What was that?" Faraday asked Sam.

"He said if you don't cut the disrespectful comments he'll cut something else for you." Sam replied to the younger man.

Faraday's eyes grew wide and he frowned.

"Jesus, Red. Thought we were friends." He said, hand over his heart, pretending to be deeply hurt.

Red Harvest turned to Billy and began speaking again in his native tongue.

Shockingly, Billy replied back in the same language.

"Hey! How come you taught him to speak it?" Jack asked their boyish comrade.

"He likes me more than you." Billy replied when Red whispered something to him in Comanche.

"Now that is hurtful, Red." Faraday frowned.

Red Harvest shrugged, eyes focused forward to look for tracks on the ground below.

Faraday began to whistle a lively tune and Vasquez shot him a warning look.

"Stop playin' around now." Sam told Faraday and the others. "We got a job to do, here."

"He's right." Billy agreed. "We have a deadline."

"Why we always gotta have a deadline to meet, huh?" Faraday asked. "What? Are we goin' for a record or somethin'?"

"Stop!" Red Harvest growled, stopping his horse in the middle of the trail.

The others halted behind him.

"What?" Faraday asked, looking around. "I don't see nothin'."

"Off trail." Red Harvest said, swinging off his horse and tying him to a tree limb. "We follow."

"Really?" Faraday asked. "There's snakes out there in the brush, Red."

"Not in the fall, Guero." Vasquez sighed, giving his partner a pat on the back sympathetically.

"You wanna stay, that's fine." Sam said as he passed Faraday, walking into the brush with the others behind Red Harvest. 

"Just thinking out loud, Sam." Faraday replied with a sigh as he too slid off his horse to follow Red Harvest into the brush line where the tracks led.

.........

"Hello my darling girl." Goodnight smiled as he lifted Midnight up onto his horse when she came from the school house. "How was your day?"

"I made this." Midnight said, offering up a small clay pumpkin. "Teacher said I did good."

"Well now that surely is a fine pumpkin." Goodnight said, looking the little masterpiece over. "You did a beautiful job on it."

"Can we put it over the fireplace at home?" She asked him.

"We can put it wherever you'd like, Mon Cheri." Goody replied, kissing her cheek before swinging up onto his horse with her and turning to go back to the ranch.

"Daddy?" Midnight asked after awhile.

"Yes my darling?" Goodnight asked her. 

".....What's a werewolf?" She asked.

Goodnight raised an eyebrow. "Now what on earth put an idea like that in your mind?" He asked.

"Bobby Larson." Midnight said. "He says that wolf you're looking for is a werewolf."

Goodnight sighed. "Honey, there's no such thing as a werewolf." He told his daughter.

"Really?" Midnight asked. "You promise?"

"I cross my heart." Goodnight nodded.

"Good cause they sound scary." Midnight said with a frown.

"Don't worry your pretty little head over such fairytales, darlin'." Goodnight told her. "Especially since your Papa and I are always here to protect you." He kissed the top of her head.

Midnight looked up at him.

"So Bobby and the other kids aren't gonna find the werewolf up at the old Davis place?" She asked.

"What?" Goodnight asked, confused and a bit worried. The old Davis place was dangerous. It could cave in on itself at any moment. No place for children to be.

"Bobby Larson is taking my friends up there to look for the werewolf." Midnight told him. "I didn't wanna go with them though."

Goodnight frowned.

"When did they say they were going?" He asked.

He had to put a stop to this. That was for sure.

..........

Red Harvest slunk forward carefully, knife in hand, toward the trapped animal.

"What the hell...Red are you crazy!?" Faraday growled.

"Guero, shh..." Vasquez hushed him as they stood back, watching their native friend approach the wolf.

The animal didn't seem vicious.

Instead of snarling at them it was whimpering and whining, pulling at the trap that it's leg was caught in.

Still, the seven were weary of this creature. All except Red of course.

"Be careful...." Sam told the boy as he got closer and closer to the wolf.

They had come upon it after about a twenty minute walk through the brush.

A large silver wolf caught in one of Ben Larson's traps.

Red Harvest was immediately unhappy with the sight. This wasn't the way to hunt an animal and he was disgusted even more with Larson that he'd been before.

The animal didn't deserve to suffer, no matter what it had done.

As he approached the wolf it looked at him, whimpering louder.

"Red..." Jack warned him. "Get back from that wolf!"

Red Harvest replied with a whisper of his native tongue before kneeling down next to the animal.

Something was strange about this wolf. It wasn't acting at all aggressive or even wild.

It laid down submissively when Red Harvest came to kneel next to it, turning it's belly up and whining. Like a dog. A domestic dog.

The others looked on in awe.

Red Harvest stared for a moment before sliding his knife back into its sheath.

That's when he noticed it.

A collar. 

It was old, worn, and nearly broken off, but it was there. An old thin leather collar beneath thick silver fur.

This wolf was a pet.

"What are ya waitin' for Red?" Faraday asked. "Smoke the damn thing before it eats ya alive!"

"Quiet!" Red Harvest demanded before turning back to the wolf.

He spoke softly to it in Comanche as he reached down to open the trap.

The wolf whined in pain, but finally it was freed.

"Red!" Sam called with worry. But there was no reason to be afraid.

The grateful animal limped up to Red Harvest and licked his face just like a dog would do to a little child.

Red smiled and stroked it's fur before turning to the others.

"He mean no harm." He told them.

TBC


	5. Return

“What? Is the damn thing somebody’s pet?” Faraday asked, shooting the wolf a confused expression. This hunt had taken quite an unexpected turn.

“We find his master.” Red Harvest declared, taking a rope that Sam offered up to him and tying it around the wolf’s collar. 

“Whoa, wait a minute…” Faraday interjected. “We’re supposed to get rid of this thing.” 

Red Harvest threw him a menacing glare. It said everything that he didn’t and Faraday didn’t offer another word on the subject.

“I’ll head back to town and tell the folks we took care of the problem.” Sam said. “You boys find whoever owns this thing and tell him he’d best keep it on a chain so this doesn’t happen again.”

Red Harvest said nothing as he led the wolf to his horse, but they all knew how he must have felt about it. Keeping an animal such as this on a chain for the rest of its life wasn’t a thought that sat well with him.

“Red..” Sam said. The boy turned his head to look at him. “I’m sorry, son.” Sam told him. “But you know we can’t have him killin’ more stock.”

Red Harvest nodded, turning away again and swinging up onto his horse. He still wasn’t happy, but he did understand.

“Can I go with you, Sam?” Faraday asked. “I wanna get to that pumpkin cake before Emma takes it to the church.”

“I don’t see why not.” Sam sighed. “But you’d best be helpful if you’re goin’ home.” 

“Aren’t I always?” Faraday replied, turning his horse.

“Billy, you’re in charge. Take the wolf home then get straight back to town” Sam said, turning his horse too before riding back toward town with Faraday.

“Why’d he put you in charge?” Jack asked Billy. “Reckon I’m the oldest.”

Billy shrugged and kicked his horse on, starting down the trail. 

“How are we supposed to find where he came from?” Vasquez asked. “It’s not like he can tell us.”

“He take us.” Red Harvest said, looking down at the wolf who was obediently trotting alongside his horse. 

Nobody said anything to that. They assumed Red knew what he was talking about, considering he had experience with these kinds of things, so there was really no point in arguing. 

………

“Thank you for letting me know, sir.” School Teacher told Goodnight, grateful as always for his help. “Bobby will get a stern talking to about this, and I’ll see that the other children know not to let him push them around.”

“Much obliged, School Teacher, much obliged.” Goodnight nodded. “Although I feel that Bobby Larson might need a bit of a rougher lesson to learn if he’s ever going to listen to reason.”

“What do you suggest?” School Teacher asked, raising an eyebrow.

“If you would, gather the children for me.” Goodnight told him. “I’ll see to it that little Bobby never tries to pull anything like this again.”

School Teacher was a little unsure, but he trusted Goodnight. Knew he was a good man, with only the children’s best interest at heart. So he followed captain’s orders and gathered the children from the schoolyard.

“Daddy?” Midnight asked, pulling at Goodnight’s sleeve. “What’re we gonna do to Bobby?” 

Goodnight smiled down and her and ran a hand through her sleek black hair. “Nothin’ he don’t have comin’ to him, honey.” He assured her. “That boy needs a little fear struck into him.” 

“Like a spanking?” Midnight asked.

Goodnight shook his head. “I’ve got something better in mind, and you and your little friends are gonna help.” He told his daughter, leaning down to whisper his master plan in her ear.

……….

“This is hopeless.” Vasquez sighed as they rode on, coming near the base of Bogue’s old mine. “This wolf won’t lead us anywhere.”

“Patience.” Red Harvest said, slowly trailing the group with the wolf limping alongside his horse. They were all shocked that Red’s horse didn’t seem to have a problem with a wolf being so close to him. Their own horses were acting spooked and the wolf wasn’t even close to them. Red’s horse had probably seen wolves before of course. Domestic ones like this. 

“We’ll take the road through the mine.” Billy said, leading them on past the old Davis cabin.

The wolf suddenly stopped, sitting down in the dirt and pulling against Red’s rope.

“Stay.” He said to the others, stopping his horse. They all stopped and turned to look at him.

Red looked to the wolf, who was whimpering pitifully and pulling on the rope that held him.

“He find home.” Red Harvest said, swinging down off his horse and untying the rope from around the wolf’s collar.

“Nobody lives here, Red.” Jack said. “Not for years and years.”

“He find home.” Red Harvest repeated, releasing the wolf. The animal licked Red’s face before turning and limping off toward the cabin. A large hole in the wall seemed to be his entrance into the old place, as he managed to squeeze himself through it to get in.

“Cloud!” A voice suddenly came from inside.

Billy pulled his knife and swung down from his horse.

Vasquez muttered something in Spanish and followed, Jack on their tail and Red Harvest already at the door of the cabin.

He called out a greeting in Comanche as he pulled the old door open. No answer, but the sound of someone fighting was audible enough for him to hear.

“Careful.” Billy told him, coming behind him with his knife in hand and ready to use if need be.

“Hello.” Red Harvest called out again, finally bringing the right word out from the back of his mind. “Who there?”

When they rounded the corner where a wall separated the front room of the cabin from what used to be a bedroom, their eyes widened with surprise.

A child, a little child with an injured leg that appeared to be broken, huddled in the corner, clutching the wolf tightly to her.

Billy put his knife away and approached the child slowly.

“It’s okay.” He assured her, slowly stepping towards her.

The wolf snarled at him, ready to protect the child, and Billy stepped back again.

Red Harvest touched Billy’s arm and shook his head, his way of telling him to stay where he was. He would handle this. The wolf trusted him.

He spoke sternly in his native tongue to the animal, who whimpered and allowed him to approach then.

“Okay.” Red Harvest told the child, who he gently lifted into his arms. “Is okay.” His English was off, but comforting all the same. The poor child in his arms weeped, frightened and injured, probably hungry and tired as well.

“Jack, cut some splints.” Billy told the old man. “For her leg. We need to set it.”

Jack nodded and pulled his hatchet before heading toward the woodline and the trees while Red and Billy brought the little girl out of the cabin.

“Hello, little one.” Billy greeted the girl with a smile as Red gently sat her down outside. “My name is Billy. We’re here to help you.”

The child clung to her wolf again, holding his fur tightly as he licked the tears from her face. “You’re gonna take me back aren’t ya?” She asked.

“Back where?” Billy asked, confused.

“To..to the orphanage.” The girl sniffled, getting choked up at the thought of the wretched place she once called home. “I don’t wanna go back, mister. Please don’t take me.”

Billy frowned and looked to Red, who was gently stroking the wolf’s fur. They knew now why the wolf had been killing of the townspeople’s livestock.

“Is this your wolf?” Billy asked the girl.

She nodded, still clinging tightly to the animal.

“He’s been bringing you food hasn’t he? Been taking good care of you?” Billy asked then.

The girl nodded again, hugging the wolf tighter.

The wolf had been killing the livestock to feed the little girl. 

TBC


	6. Happy Ending

“Joshua Faraday, what did I tell you to do?” Emma sighed, taking the jug of apple cider out of his hands.

“I’m goin’, I’m goin’.” Faraday groaned, willingly giving up the jug and walking off toward the front door to go hitch up the wagon.

“Teddy!” Emma called to her husband, setting the apple cider down on the counter and picking up two of her pumpkin pies to carry outside.

“I’m almost done.” Teddy assured her, stirring the large pot of pumpkin pudding that was boiling over the fire. “Should just be a few minutes.”

“Well we don’t have time to let it set in the ice house so just get it into the wagon after it’s done. We’ll have it set in town.” Emma told him, hurrying out the door with the pies to start loading up the wagon.

“Where’s Goodnight?” She asked Faraday. “He should’ve been back an hour ago.” 

“Who knows.” Faraday sighed, latching the harnesses to the two large draft horses. “He probably took Midnight to the general store or somethin’. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” He took a small bottle of whiskey from his vest.

“Oh no!” Emma scolded him, swiping the bottle away. ‘You’re not getting drunk tonight! We’ve got work to do, mister, now get yourself and these horses into the barn and hitch up that wagon!”

“Sir, yes sir!” Faraday mocked her. Emma shot him a glare that had his nonsense stopped immediately.

Emma sighed and sat the pies down on the railing of the porch.

“Uh...Hey Emma?” Faraday called from the barn. “The wagon ain’t here.”

Emma opened her mouth to answer when she heard a horse nicker from behind her. When she turned around to see who was coming, she was met with quite a peculiar sight. 

Goodnight was coming up the trail with a wagon full of school children.

………

“Mr. Robicheaux?” One of the little girls asked as Goodnight pulled the wagon up to the barn. “How are we supposed’ to scare Bobby?” 

“Well, Miss Pearl, I’ll tell ya.” Goodnight replied, stopping the wagon and putting the break down. “We’re all gonna put on a little show for little Bobby Larson. You ever seen a play before? Any of ya?”

Most of the children shook their heads quietly. Goodnight frowned. He had forgotten that most of these children were born and raised in Rose Creek. They had never been exposed to the finer arts before. No matter. That only meant he got a chance to teach them something new as well as put the fear of God into that rotten Bobby Larson.

“Well, children, a play is kind of like playing pretend.” He explained to them all as he helped them all down from the wagon one by one. “I bet all of you know how to do that don’t you?”

They nodded at him.

“Good, good. Then this will be easy for you.” He assured them, motioning for them to gather around him. “Now what we’re gonna do is get Bobby to forget about that spooky old Davis place for someplace a little scarier.”

“What’s scarier than the old Davis place?” A little boy asked. 

“Nowhere yet.” Goodnight told him. “But we’re gonna make Bobby think that there is. That’s what you all are gonna help me out here with. We’re gonna turn this nice new barn into an old haunted barn.”

“That’ll take awhile.” Another little boy spoke up.

“Naw, not at all, son.” Goodnight assured him. “That’s what playin’ pretend is for. You all are gonna tell Bobby that this old barn is just painted up like new, but really it's old and spooky underneath. Understand?”

“Nope.” The little boy shook his head.

Goodnight opened his mouth to explain again but was stopped when Emma came out to the barn.

“Goodnight Robicheaux!” She scolded him. “What on earth are you doin’ out here?”

“Ah, Miss Emma..” Goodnight kissed her hand politely. “Gentlemen, take off your hats in respect. Miss Emma here is a lady.” At his instruction all of the boys removed their hats.

“Goodnight what is this? Did you decide to adopt the next generation of Rose Creek?” Emma asked, running a hand over her face in frustration.

“This is a matter of justice, my dear.” Goodnight replied. “Someone has wronged us so we’re gonna make sure it don’t happen again. Ain’t that right, children?”

The kids all nodded in reply. 

“Alright…” Emma sighed. “As long as I get my wagon back I don’t care what ya do.”

“Much obliged, Miss Emma.” Goodnight smiled at her before she left the barn.

“Daddy?” Midnight asked. “What do I get to do in our play?”

Goodnight smiled and kneeled before her.

“You, my little belle, are our most important player in this little game.” He told her.

…….

The rest of the hunting party returned to Rose Creek at sunset.

It turned out that Violet, the little girl that they’d rescued, was half Apache indian, and had been living with her mother and her people before their village was burned to the ground by a battalion of Union soldiers. 

She and her pet wolf, Cloud, were the only ones that made it out alive. Violet’s father had been hung for stealing horses the year before that, which was why she and her mother had gone back to the village in the first place. After her parents died, the state of California had taken custody of Violet and placed her in an orphanage. Cloud was taken from her, but when Violet escaped the orphanage they found eachother again. She had taken up in the old Davis place after breaking her leg climbing down the mountain.

“Do you have any family left, Violet?” Billy asked the girl once they’d gotten her into bed back at the house. Jack and Vasquez had set her leg so it could heal properly and Red had gone for the doctor in Saltgrass Ridge, the next town over.

Violet nodded slowly. “My Aunt in New Mexico.” She said. “But they wouldn’t let me go to her. It’s because she’s Apache I guess.”

Cloud whimpered, trying to jump up onto the bed with his beloved girl, but finding it difficult due to his wounded leg.

Billy stood from where he was sitting and helped the wolf up. Cloud licked his face before snuggling up with Violet.

“He loves you.” He smiled at the odd pair. A bond between a child and an animal was truly a beautiful thing. 

"I raised him from a pup." Violet explained, hugging Cloud tightly as he licked her face.

Billy smiled at them and stroked Cloud's fur.

"Mr. Rocks?" Violet asked after awhile. "What's gonna happen to us now?"

Cloud whimpered, as if he were picking up on Violet's anxieties.

"Don't worry." Billy assured her. "We'll make sure you get to your Aunt when you are well again."

"Really?" Violet asked.

"I promise." Billy nodded.

Violet smiled and laid her head against her beloved wolf.

"Thank you, Mr. Rocks." She told Billy, nuzzling against Cloud's soft fur.

........

"Just where in the hell are you all goin'?" Bobby Larson asked as the other school children began walking down the trail towards the Cullen ranch.

"To Midnight's house." One of the girls answered.

"Hey!" Bobby snarled. "We was supposed to go to the old David place tonight!" 

"We don't wanna go to that dumb old David place." An older girl told him. 

"Yeah!" One of the younger boys cut in. "We got somewhere scarier than that! Right Middy?"

"Right." Midnight smiled at her little friend.

"Where is this scarier place, huh?" Bobby asked, getting up in Midnight's face.

"My house." Midnight said with all the confidence in the world. "We got a haunted barn."

"Pssh, ya do not." Bobby scoffed, hands on his hips.

"She does so, Bobby." One of the older boys confirmed. "I seen it before. Some say if yer there at just the right time, you can see Matt Cullen's mean old man still hangin around. His ghost is about as friendly as he was too."

Bobby stared at Midnight for a good long while, deep in thought as he did so.

"Well then...." He said. "Guess the old Davis place can wait till tomorrow. If'n this old barn is as haunted as ya say it is."

Midnight nodded, smiling mischievously up at Bobby.

The poor boy had no idea what he was about to walk into.

.......

"I don't see no ghosts or nothin'." Bobby snorted.

"Just wait." Midnight said, leading the group towards her family's barn.

The doors to the barn were standing open, and inside it was pitch black.

"You sure you wanna do this, Bobby?" An older boy asked. 

"Yeah I'm sure." Bobby answered. "Why? Ya chicken or somethin?"

"Just makin' sure ya know what you're gettin' into." The boy said.

"We'll keep out of my business." Bobby growled, turning then to little Midnight. "So, Robicheaux, you gonna lead the way?"

"Nope." Midnight shook her head. "I'm not goin' in there."

"Course you're not." Bobby chuckled, walking towards the barn. "Anybody who ain't a big whinin' sissy, follow me."

The kids all staid put with Midnight.

Bobby just laughed.

"Thought so." He scoffed. "Ya big bunch of babies." He started off towards the barn again.

"Don't say we didn't warn you." One of the girls told him.

"Right." Bobby chuckled, walking into the barn and looking around.

He smirked and turned to look at the others.

"See." He said. "I told ya there ain't nothin' haunted about...."

The doors to the barn slammed shut in front of him.

"Wha..?" His eyes widened and he rushed to the doors, trying desperately to open them again.

"Hey! Guys! This ain't funny!" He shouted, banging on the doors. It was no good, though. They were sealed.

"Bobby...." A voice whispered from somewhere inside the dark and spooky barn.

"Who....who's there?" Bobby whimpered, heart racing.

"Bobby...." The voice whispered again. 

The squeaking of footsteps came from the hayloft, then the horse stalls, then right before him.

Bobby was shaking in his boots.

"Stay back!" He warned the mysterious white face that began to come into view.

"You've been a bad boy, Bobby...." The voice whispered.

"I'm sorry!" Bobby shouted, dropping to his knees and curling up by the door.

"You must be punished..." The voice said then.

"No! Please! I'll be good! I swear it!" Bobby screamed, tears dripping down his face.

The barn doors opened back up suddenly and Bobby, terrified, jumped up and ran for his life, passing the other children as he screamed and ran for town.

The children all left as Goodnight stepped out of the barn, dressed in a long black coat and some of Red Harvest's white war paint.

"Daddy! It worked!" Midnight squealed with glee, hugging Goody tightly.

"And you were a wonderful actress Mon Cheri." He told his baby girl, kneeling and kissing her cheek. "You were all wonderful." He told the children. "I don't think little Bobby will be causing any more trouble in the near future."

"You scared him real good, Mr. Robicheaux!" A little boy told him. 

"That's right." Goodnight nodded proudly. "Now, why don't we head on over to that church social in town, hm?" 

"Yeah!" The kids all cheered in agreement.

.........

"We're grateful to you men." Preacher smiled at the seven as they all shared a toast at the party. "You've solved all our problems once more."

"Always a pleasure, Preacher." Faraday smiled, raising his glass to join in the toast.

"Here's to the Magnificent Seven." Preacher said. "May they be rewarded in life and long after for their deeds done here for us all." 

The sound of glasses clinking together sounded through the church and they all drank to the seven.

"I think we have something more to make a toast too, Mon Cher." Goody whispered to Billy. 

"Does this have something to do with why you're not drinking?" Billy asked, a grin spreading across his lips.

"Indeed it does." Goody smiled. "Billy, we're going to have another baby." 

Billy smiled fondly at his husband and leaned in slowly, kissing his lips.

"I love you, Goody." He told him.

"And I love you." Goody replied.

"Dammit!" Faraday growled. "Why'd ya have to be pregnant? Now I owe Sam five dollars."

"Where is Sam?" Vasquez asked. "I haven't seen him all night."

The others shrugged.

........

"Damn thing stole all my bait...." Old Ben Larson growled as he gathered up his traps.

"Gonna skin that bastard's hyde good." He muttered to himself.

"Gonna tear it limb from....WHOA!!" He shouted in shock as he fell through the leaves and into a large dug out pit.

"Damn it all to hell...." He growled then, dusting himself off. "HEY! Somebody get me outta here!"

Sam stepped out from behind the tree he'd been hiding behind and mounted his horse with a grin.

A night in the hole oughta teach old Mr. Larson to cool that temper of his a little better.

THE END


End file.
